7 Unhealthiest foods you need to stop feeding your kids

Diet Dangers: 7 Unhealthiest foods you need to stop feeding your kids

Lim Han

27 Mar 2017

updated the Monday, March 27, 2017

1/7
Breakfast cereal
Don’t be deceived by their vibrant packaging and cute shapes. Although marketed as a healthier snack, breakfast cereals are often loaded with refined sugars and have zero nutrition. If you must, opt for sugar-free ones such as cheerios and cornflakes.
2/7
Hot dogs
They say dogs are a man’s best friend. Well, definitely not these ones. Not only are they chockful of sodium, they contain nitrites which are potentially carcinogenic when placed under high heat. Trash these sticks of doom, they’re not worth the risk.
3/7
Chicken nuggets
These unassuming nuggets have taken the world by storm, which unfortunately, is one of the worst disasters to ever occur. Often served at fast food restaurants, these little bites are dripping with additive-loaded oils and abysmal preservatives. You won’t want those entering your child’s system.
4/7
Packeted juice
Many believe that since these drinks have a fruit base, they must have some health benefits. Not so fast. These fruit juices are packed with copious amounts of sugar, some of them even containing twice as much sugar as soda drinks. You’re better off making your own fruit juice at home. Or buying them freshly pressed.
5/7
Granola bars
This one’s a shocker, even to us. We’ve all given our child a pat on the head whenever they comply with bringing the granola bar in place of a fudgy chocolate square or a chewy cookie. But, you might want to retract that hand and use it to trace their nutrition list instead. Most of these bars are loaded with sugar, some even with chocolate chips and marshmallow.
6/7
Hard candy
All types of candy are typically unhealthy, but boiled sweets (aka hard candy) such as lollipops seriously suck. Not only do they decay your kid’s teeth, they will also send their blood glucose levels rocketing sky-high. If your child’s incessant whining is simply unbearable, try pacifying them with raisins or dates.
7/7
Luncheon meat
There’s no denying it – luncheon meat is downright delicious. But, similar to their hot dog accomplices, these slabs of meat contain nitrites which make them absolutely toxic. Not so delicious now, are they?

Don’t fall prey to these discreetly toxic foods. You could be doing some serious damage to your child.

Parents, it’s time to re-examine your kid’s lunchbox. If you think they’re having an acceptably healthy meal, you may want to hold your horses. You could just be packing them the unhealthiest foods ever. Some allegedly healthy foods are, in fact, loaded with the dietary villains seated at the highest throne of the food pyramid. Sodium, sugar, fats and even carcinogenic chemicals? You can bet we’re not playing around.

So, grab your kid’s lunchbox and get ready for a serious eye-opener. We’re taking you on a dietary discovery of the 7 most notorious empty-calorie foods that you could be feeding your kids. Head up to gallery to get started.

Lim Han

Photos: Getty Images

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